How To Choose LED Christmas Lights

Even if you don't believe in resurrection and supernatural, this does not necessarily mean you will defy the Christmas holydays. And this means you will need not only a Christmas tree but some other things to celebrate the holyday with. Among them are surely Christmas lights. Until recently people somehow could manage it without LEDs but not this era. Of course, LED Christmas lights are not very cheap but you should know LED lights can last for more than 10 years. In this case it may be a good option for a purchase, especially for those who are not used to change home every few years. First, calculate the expenses LED lights, compare with the strands of incandescent Christmas lights which typically last no more than 6 years, and you may come to the conclusion that buying LEDs is really worthwhile.

LED christmas lights

Yes, LED Christmas lights are more expensive up front, however in the long run you will be saving dollars because LEDs are much more energy-saving. In fact, conventional filament bulbs need nearly ten times more energy than LED lights. So in a short time you'll discover that LEDs can fully recoup their cost, being at the same time much more eco-friendly due to less power consumption.

You may also find one more reason to use LED lights instead of obsolete incandescent lights. With conventional filament Christmas lights you can string together no more than 4-5 strands from one plug. If you string more strands, then most certainly a fuse in the strands circuitry will blow. With LED lights you can string together 20 and 30 and even 50 of LED strands from one plug without any problem, since LEDs, as mentioned above, consume up to 10 times less electric energy. And remember that it is very important to connect strands of the same wattage, no matter if you are choosing LEDs or incandescent lights.

So, don't think twice before you choose LED lights for Christmas or some other event. Although LED lights are a more expensive than traditional ones, they consume considerably less electric energy and last much longer. And last but not least, LED lights don't generate heat and as a result are much safer than incandescent bulbs.

If you need some guidance on how to pick out LED Christmas Lights, just follow these simple steps:

1: Choose the required brightness level

First you should think about the brightness level of LED lights. For brighter displays it is recommended to opt for light strings where lights are located close together. Alternatively, you can buy two or more sets of light strings with lights more separated from one another and knit them close together. The same light effect can be expected.

LED christmas lights

2: Decide on a color scheme

Choose a color of your LED lights. There are many different colors available, so you can arrange traditional Christmas red and green lighting scheme, or go with some unique options. If you wish to use white color, remember that there is a wide range of whites on the market now, from warm white to cool white, so choose thoroughly to match the required shade.

The color of light strings must correspond to the color of background. For example, if you are going to use Christmas lights in a garden with green plants, garlands with green wires would look better. In contrast, lights with white wires would look best against cement city surfaces as well as hanging on windows, railing or gutters.

outdoor LED christmas lights

3: Remember about power levels

Although LED lights consume small amount of energy, take care of the power wattage. The total wattage of the bulbs should not exceed the one that is supposed for the socket used in the circuitry. You can easily calculate the power wattage yourself to avoid overloading the circuit. Just multiply the wattage of the bulb by the number of sockets, after that divide by 115 and you will get overall amps.

4: How to correctly hang LED Christmas lights

You can buy a lot of beautiful Christmas lights, but if you don't hang them correctly, they won't give an expected effect, so you risk to waste your money and ruin the party. Read the article Hanging Lights on a Christmas Tree to learn how to correctly hang LED Christmas lights.